Dark Water
by one-and-many
Summary: Ruto/Dark-Link. Link is possessed by the Fierce Deity, and Dark Link must wear a mask of his own to combat the threat. Link's Fierce Deity Mask will meet its match. First five chapters are old, the new ones are better.
1. Beginnings

One-and-Many (a.k.a. Dusk): Welcome to my madness. In this work I am going to pair my two favorite "Zelda: Ocarina of Time" characters, Princess Ruto and Dark-Link. I'm trying to be serious on this one. I'm not sure how it will develop yet, so please be patient. PLEASE R&R, I need your input. Even if you're as unstable as I. BE WARNED, I like to use big words. 'These are thoughts.'  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
It had been a dull day for Princess Ruto. She had gone to Lake Hylia to swim, but it had been an overcast day, and she felt drained. At the moment she was floating on her back, near the temple. 'It's so boring.' she thought to herself. 'I wish Link was here...' She then firmly banished the thought from her mind. 'Damnit Link, how could you leave for that floozie, Malon?' Sighing, Ruto stopped floating and started swimming to shore. As she swam something caught her eye. Some silvery-black cloth was half-buried in the sand. Ruto tried to pick it up, but it didn't move. When she gave it a sharp yank, it let out a groan. 'What the...' she briefly wondered. She tried to dig whatever it was out of the sand and almost had a heart attack when she identified it. "Dear Goddesses, Link?" she exclaimed. 'No,' she thought, 'it only looks like him. He's so thin, by all rights he should be dead. I can't just leave him here, he's dying. I'll have to bring him home.' Ruto eyed him carefully. 'He's too large for me to carry far, it's a good thing I had the lodge built.' After Link had freed the temple of Morpha's influence, Ruto had commissioned a small lodge next to the lake, to live in till Zora's Domain thawed out. Even after her home un-froze however, she could not be comfortable there, and had changed the lodge to her permanent residence. It now stood where a small field had once stood. Ruto slowly dragged her new patient towards it now. 'It'll be nice to have somebody to talk to again' she thought.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
'It hurt, hurt to breathe, hurt to move, hurt everywhere. Why can't it stop?' thought's and sensations flooded a half-conscious Dark-Link's body. He had been only half aware of the change of conditions. Then he felt something being held against his lips. He couldn't see. He fumbled for the object and found a cup. He drank it greedily, thanking all higher powers for the blessed substance. It hurt to drink, but it no longer mattered. He had water. He soon drained the cup, and became partially aware of his surroundings. "Who's there?" he asked. "I can't see, my eyes won't open."  
  
"Don't worry," said a soothing female voice, "you're safe now." The voice then poured a small amount of water over Dark-Link's eyes. Dark-Link tried to look, and though his sight was still blurred, he could briefly make out a blue-skinned humanoid in front of him. "Rest now." she said. Already Dark- Link could feel the blackness overwhelming his senses, but he managed to grate out the words, "who are you?"  
  
"Ruto" the voice said. Then all went dark, and he knew no more. 


	2. Introductions

One-and-Many: Sorry the first chapter was so short. Think of it as a prologue.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Ruto watched as the dark figure passed out. He looked so much like Link, but at the same time, completely different. His build was almost identical, but thin and weakened. His hair was shiny black, like a raven's wing, and his skin was a deep purplish black. His eyes had been the strangest of all. He had only briefly opened them before losing consciousness, but it had been long enough for Ruto to glimpse his dull red eyes. The odd part, was that his whole eye was red, not just the iris, but the "whites" and pupil as well. 'Is he blind?' Ruto idly wondered. 'There is so much I want to ask him, I hope he wakes up soon.' She looked again at her comatose patient's body again. "Better get you cleaned up." she said out loud. "I wonder where I left that sponge..."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Dark-Link's next awakening was much more pleasant than his last. Someone had scrubbed all the sand and salt off of him and his clothes. He tried to lift his head, but was too weak yet, and only barely stirred. Over on the side of his vision he could see the blue-skinned woman move to check on him. "Don't move yet," she berated him, "you're still too weak." Dark-Link smirked but then grimaced as the movement brought him pain, but managed to ask "Do you have any food?" Ruto smiled and turned to pick a small tray. "Here, eat this" she said, and held a spoon full of some strange broth to his lips. Dark-Link eagerly obeyed, hunger over-ruling his pride. They both lay in silence, Ruto feeding Dark-Link, until the bowl was empty.  
After he had finished eating, Dark-Link asked, "You said your name was Ruto, but I don't know anything else about you. What is your race? Where are we? How did I get here?"  
"One thing at a time" said Ruto. "My name is Ruto, and I am a Zora. We are in my lodge at Lake Hylia. I found you dying on the beach, and brought you here to recuperate. Now why don't you tell me who you are and how you ended up half-dead on the beach?"  
A pained look crossed Dark-Link's features and he thought to himself 'more like WHAT I am." He thought hastily and gave her the best name he could think up on the spot. "Kopii, I don't remember much about how I got here." 'That's true enough,' he thought bitterly, 'I'm just a construct, drawn out of someone else's personality. A shadow, a copy, a mockery. He noticed the concerned look in Ruto's eyes and hastily said, "I'm sorry, it's just frustrating not being able to remember." In truth, he really couldn't remember much, and Ruto seemed to accept his explanation.  
Ruto nodded and said, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll remember eventually." She gave him a reassuring smile and said, "You should get some more rest, I'll have some more food for you when you wake up." Dark-Link nodded and closed his eyes, falling asleep almost instantly. 'Kopii? What an odd name. He's such a strange man, surrounded by mystery. It's almost like an old romance novel, I can't wait to learn more about him.' She turned and looked at her patient. 'He looks so peaceful when he sleeps, so different from his bitter expression while he's awake.' Ruto briefly thought about telling Link about the stranger who seemed so much like him, but decided that she shouldn't leave Kopii unattended while he was so weak. She looked at him and for a moment, just a moment, saw Link. She leaned over and kissed his forehead, and ran her fingers through his shiny black hair. 'That's probably as close to kissing Link as I'll ever get' she thought sadly. Her spirit lifted as Kopii smiled in his sleep, and leaned his head against her hand. "Sweet dreams Kopii" she whispered. Then she too fell asleep in her chair, her hand still against Kopii's face, and she had dreams of a stinging light, and a soothing darkness.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * One-and-Many: I realize this chapter was pretty short too, but I'm working on it.  
  
Dark-Link: What kind of a stupid name is Kopii?  
  
One-and-Many: I shamelessly stole it from Slayers. You're a lot like Rezo's copy.  
  
Dark-Link: WHAT? Take that back.  
  
One-and-Many: nyaa-nyaa, you can't make me.  
  
Dark-Link: EAT STEEL MAGGOT.  
  
One-and-Many: Bad Kopii, do I need to turn your tunic pink?  
  
Dark-Link: *mumble mutter*  
  
One-and-Many: Pardon? I can't hear you.  
  
Dark-Link: I said alright, I'll behave.  
  
One-and-Many: Good Kopii. In the meantime, reviews will be welcome. 


	3. The Market

It had been a week since Ruto had found Dark-Link dying on the beach of Lake Hylia. Dark-Link had introduced himself as Kopii, and still used it as his name. He was not ready for her to discover the truth. Dark-Link was now well enough to walk, feed, and bathe himself, and had carved a piece of driftwood into a training sword to keep his skills sharp. On the eighth day, Ruto approached Dark-Link while he was training.  
"Kopii? I need to go to the market to get some food. Would you like to come?" Ruto asked.  
"Yeah, I suppose so. I need to buy a real sword, I lost mine, probably rusting underneath the sand as we speak."  
Ruto nodded and smiled at him. "Well, we better get going if we're gonna get there before nightfall."  
Dark-Link only gave her a quick nod and then started walking at an incredibly fast pace in the direction of Hyrule Market.  
"Hey, wait up" cried Ruto.  
Dark-Link smirked and asked "Why don't you speed up?" But as he turned back to his course, Ruto noticed him slow down enough for Ruto to walk at a comfortable pace.  
  


* * *

  
The sky was beginning to darken when they reached the market. "We may have to stay the night." said Ruto. Dark-Link grunted and tried to ignore all the people staring at the odd couple's strange features.  
Ruto followed his gaze and then snapped to the gawking villagers, "Make a sketch, I'll last longer." At about this point the crowd seemed to re-locate their manners and promptly found something that they needed to be doing.  
Dark-Link smirked and said, "My, my, what a temper you have."  
Ruto blushed (yes, zora's do blush) and changed the subject by pointing and asking, "Hey Kopii, isn't that a goron weapons shop?"  
Dark-Link didn't dash towards the shop so much as vanish into it, eliciting a giggle from Ruto before she walked in at a somewhat slower pace.  
  


* * *

  
Dark-Link walked out of the store with an extremely satisfied look on his face. He had selected a hylian shield, and a brand new style of sword called a scimitar, a curved blade developed by the gerudo's.  
"I swear Kopii," said Ruto, "if you were a cat you'd be purring."  
Dark-Link responded by saying, "Thanks again for paying for it, I'll make sure to pay you back."  
"Don't bother," said Ruto, "it's no big deal."  
"I beg to differ" said Dark-Link. "This is quality work, and I KNOW that it doesn't come cheap. That added on top of you saving my life leaves me deeply in your dept."  
"Really," said Ruto, "I already have more money than I know what to do with, you'd be surprised."  
"Oh, rest assured, nothing surprises me anymore" Dark-Link said as he rolled his eyes.  
"Is that so?" said Ruto. "Not even this?" Ruto leaned over and kissed Dark-Link on the cheek and then sprinted toward the inn they were staying in. At first, Dark-Link just stood in shock. Then he slowly reached up and touched his cheek.  
'No one has ever... I've never been... wow.' he thought to himself. He felt a strange sensation filling his limbs, suffusing him with newfound strength. He decided he liked the sensation. With a grin on his face, he walked into the inn, and this time didn't even notice the strange looks people were giving him.  
  


* * *

  
One-and-Many: I know my chapters are still short, but I REALLY am trying. PLEASE people, R&R.  
  
Dark-Link: DAMNIT, you're turning me into some gay-ass fruit-cake.  
  
Ruto: I think it's sweet.  
  
Dark-Link: It's a conspiracy I tell you. Fan-Fic writers are sissyfying villains everywhere.  
  
One-and-Many: Dark-Link, you're testing my patience. If you don't quit whining about this fic, I'll write a shounen-ai between you and Link.  
  
Dark-Link: WHAT? You wouldn't dare.  
  
Ruto: (giggles) I LOVE that idea, will you really?  
  
One-and-Many: 0_0  
  
Dark-Link: 0_0  
  
Ruto: What? Don't look at me like that. I'm not a pervert. Really.  
  
One-and-Many: Seriously though, I need reviews. 


	4. ShadowJoy Summons You

Dark-Link was caught in a very strange dream. It had been dark, raining, and Link was there, but different this time. He wore white and silver armor, strange face-paint, and towered over Dark-Link. In his hands was the most outlandish great-sword that Dark Link had ever seen. Link raised the sword, and shot a beam of blue energy from it. Just before the beam had hit, he was whisked away to another place altogether. There was sand everywhere, and in the distance, a huge coliseum, dedicated to the snake goddess. But closer than that, was a huge black temple, formed entirely out of iron. Rather than ominous, it seemed almost, inviting. The huge stone doors opened, and Dark-Link had stepped inside. At the end of a huge hall was a raised pedestal. When Dark-Link got closer, he discovered a grinning black mask. It looked nearly like the face of the demonic Link, but where Oni-Link's face seemed cold and severe, this mask seemed joyful and carefree. Suddenly, the mask's lips moved, and it began to speak.  
  
"You are he who will set me free, be not afraid" said the mask.  
  
"What are you?" asked Dark-Link.  
  
"I am Shadow-Joy, the forgotten half."  
  
"I don't understand" said Dark-Link.  
  
"Not all darkness is cold and bitter, but that was forgotten when I was sealed" said Shadow-Joy.  
  
"Who sealed you?" asked Dark-Link.  
  
"The Fierce Deity. I managed to seal him even as he bound me, but he has found a host" said Shadow-Joy.  
  
"Link!" exclaimed Dark-Link.  
  
"Come for me my champion, find me beyond the valley of the gerudos. The lives of many depend upon my awakening. But be wary, Oni-Link will stop you if he can."  
  
"I shall be there," said Dark-Link, "I promise."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Dark-Link rose early, and gathered his things. He managed to sneak out of the house, and started to head north-west.  
  
"And just where do you think you are going?" asked a feminine voice behind him.  
  
Dark-Link froze, and slowly turned around. "Ruto, I have to leave."  
  
"You probably do, and I'm coming with you" stated Ruto.  
  
"WHAT? No, I can't let you, it's too dangerous" said Dark-Link.  
  
"Listen," said Ruto forcefully, "I am coming, and nothing short of knocking me out will prevent it. I am a sage, I can take care of myself, and I most certainly will earn my keep. I saved your life, you owe me this much."  
  
"Before you commit yourself, I should warn you that it involves the desert" said Dark-Link.  
  
"I can handle it if you can" smirked Ruto.  
  
*sigh* "Then we are off" said Dark-Link.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
One-and-Many: If you don't like the new direction of the story, TOUGH. I'm not changing my mind. Trust me, it will be worth reading. I know this chapter kinda sucked, but the upcoming ones are gonna be sheer, ass- kicking, AWESOME. 


	5. Enter the Desert

One-and-Many: Sorry if I took a while, I am REALLY busy, but I will try to keep this fic updated.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Halt, who goes there?" shouted a feminine voice.  
  
"Looks like we've reached gerudo valley" Dark-Link said to Ruto. "Let me handle this." Then to the sentry he said, "I come on a pilgrimage to the temple of the snake goddess."  
  
A gerudo woman appeared out of nowhere in front of them. "Prove it" she said maliciously.  
  
Dark-Link recited the secret words that Shadow-Joy had taught him. The gerudo gasped in shock, the stood aside and ushered them forward, even donating her water-skin to Dark-Link. After they had passed, Ruto looked questioningly at Dark-Link and asked, "Kopii? What did you say to her?"  
  
Dark-Link grinned and said, "It was an excerpt from the gerudo holy texts, in the gerudo's ancient tongue it means, 'he serpent dwells in the embrace of shadow'.  
  
"And since when are you an expert on gerudo mythology?" asked Ruto in a playful tone.  
  
"Who said anything about mythology?" asked Dark-Link.  
  
Ruto stammered, and then asked, "Seriously, how do you know this stuff?"  
  
"He told me" Dark-Link shrugged.  
  
"Who is he?" asked Ruto.  
  
"Have you ever heard of Shadow-Joy?" asked Dark-Link.  
  
"No, who is he?"  
  
"Shadow-Joy was a powerful entity, who represented the good aspects of shadow. The belief that all shadow is evil is untrue, nor is light always virtuous. There was a powerful being called 'The Fierce Deity' a being of cold light, the polar opposite of Shadow-Joy. In an epic battle, they managed to seal each other in magical masks. When a person dons the mask, he or she becomes the avatar of that being. Not too long ago, someone found the fierce deity's mask, and put it on. Without Shadow-Joy around to restrain him, the fierce deity will be unstoppable. If the fierce deity achieves the domination it seeks, Hyrule shall know an age of tyranny unmatched by even Ganondorf. I must find Shadow-Joy, don the mask, and defeat the fierce deity."  
  
"Who found the mask?" asked Ruto.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Who found the mask?" asked Ruto again, this time a bit more insistent.  
  
"I don't know" lied Dark-Link. 'If I tell her about Oni-Link, she will betray me to him, I know how she feels about the hero of time' thought Dark-Link. "Do you see that black thing over there? That's the temple we are REALLY going to."  
  
Ruto peered into the distance, and then gasped in shock. "We're going THAT far? It will take days to get there."  
  
"Then we better get going, still think coming with me is a good idea?" smirked Dark-Link.  
  
"When we get out of this desert," said Ruto in a playful manner, "I am going to beat you with the largest object I can find, until you can't stand up straight."  
  
"Why Ms. Ruto, such naughty thoughts you have" Dark-Link said, trying not to double over in laughter as Ruto blushed furiously.  
  
"Oh shut up" said Ruto, trying (unsuccessfully) to sound angry.  
  
"If it makes you feel any better," said Dark-Link, "you may punish me" he said with a lewd grin on his face.  
  
"KOPII NO HENTAI!" shouted Ruto before punting Dark-Link into orbit.  
  
'Thank the goddesses that she did this while we were in the desert," thought Dark-Link, 'least this way I'll hit sand when I land.' Hardly had he finished these thoughts when he crashed into a huge rock that was jutting out of the sand. 'Of course,' he thought, 'it would be nice if just once said goddesses could return the appreciation.'  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
One-and-Many: Hehe, sorry, I had anime on the brain. Besides, a little humor never hurt anyone important. Keep sendin' me reviews okay? Just wait until Dark-Link puts on the mask, if you thought the Helix-Blade was cool, wait until you see the Ragna-Blade. 


	6. The Temple

((One-and-Many: Back from an absurdly over-extended hiatus, with some news. Brace yourself for some changes in literary style, and please don't hurt me.))

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Kopii eyed the structure before him with trepidation. The desert was hot, but the black iron surface of the temple radiated heat like the wrath of an avenging dragon. Beside him, Ruto was panting heavily, her normally smooth skin baked dry and almost scaly by the harsh aridity of the desert plain.

"Are you alright?" Kopii asked, concern washing through him. His own skin, while certainly absorbing the heat, didn't seem to burn even after hours of exposure, though his tunic was of course dripping with sweat.

"I'll manage, but I'm all for a cold soak when this is through." Ruto tried to flash a smirk, but in her condition it came out more as a grimace. She'd purchased a white cloak to keep the sun from directly striking her skin, but that didn't change the fact that her species was ill-suited to desert climes.

Bracing herself, she stepped forward, Kopii shortly following. As they stepped closer, the heat rose higher and higher, causing them both to pinch their eyes shut against the blazing emanations. Suddenly, the temperature dropped. Opening their eyes, they found themselves past the threshold, in a dimly lit room of a temperature that, while still warm, might have been comfortable in other circumstances. Turning to look behind, Ruto gasped in shock as she found a curtain of blackness blocking the entrance, allowing no sunlight into the temple.

"This is it," said Kopii, striding deeper into the inky blackness of the temple. "Stay close Ruto, we don't want to get separated."

Ruto shivered a little, despite the warmth in the temple and in her skin. In the darkness all she could see of Kopii were his crimson eyes, a sight that excited her, but in this gloom also seemed a little intimidating. She quickened her steps to keep pace with him, their combined footsteps echoing in the undefined contours of the chamber.

Unlike the Temple of Water, the Temple of Shadow-Joy seemed to be fairly compact. Traveling in a straight line through only two doors, they found themselves in what Kopii said was called the Grand Chamber.

"Wait here," Kopii said to Ruto. He started forward, but Ruto grabbed his arm with both hands, and pressed herself close to him. Kopii looked into her face and saw a touch of fear.

"It'll be okay, this will only take a second." Kopii embraced Ruto, supplying comfort and courage.

After a few seconds, Ruto nodded into his chest, then stepped back.

"Be careful," she said.

Kopii's eyes met her gaze in the dark.

"I will."

Kopii stepped forward, and found his foot on a stair. Kneeling to feel with his fingers, he ascended slowly. At length, his fingers brushed against a smooth, surprisingly cold altar made of stone. Looking up, he found himself staring directly into a pair of glowing, yellow eyes.

Startled, he jumped back, almost falling as one foot teetered on the edge of the nearest step.

The eyes did not move.

Collecting himself, Kopii stepped forward and reached out with his hand. His fingers found a ceramic surface, and then to the side an edge. Realization dawned on him; This was Shadow-Joy's mask!

Carefully, he lifted it from the altar, noting a contrast between the chill of the altar and the warmth seeping into his hand from the mask. Tentatively, as if handling some fragile relic, he lifted the mask to his face.

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"Kopii?" Ruto took two tiny steps forward, stopping when her toes brushed against what felt like the steps of a stairway. "Was that you?"

She could have sworn she'd heard someone cry out. Nervously, she shifted from on foot to another, wondering whether she should call out again.

"I am here," a voice suddenly said.

Two lantern-like yellow eyes pierced the darkness, casting illumination before them. As they came nearer, Ruto shuffled back.

"It's okay Ruto, it's me, Kopii."

"Kopii?" Ruto took a step nearer, then a few more, and reached out to touch his face. The eyes did not flinch, and a hand brought her other hand to rest upon his chest.

"I found the mask. I am Kopii, and I am also Shadow-Joy. I am… Strong." Kopii clenched his fist. "Stronger enough to defeat him!"

"Him? You mean the Fierce Deity?"

Shadow-Kopii stiffened. "I… Yes, him. That is who I meant." Inside, the part that was Kopii felt shame. He still hadn't told her that it was Ruto's first love who carried the mask of the Fierce Diety. Link, the one whom Kopii as Dark-Link had tried to destroy.

"I'm glad that you found what you were looking for," said Ruto, "but do you have to wear the mask now? There's no one to fight right now, and you feel… Changed, different with it on."

"Of course," Kopii said, the guilt in his voice unnoticed by Ruto. He removed the mask, and wrapped it in gauze before stuffing it in their supply bag.

"Let's go." Kopii Led Ruto through a door into the middle chamber, where a circle of blue light now lit the floor. Stepping through together, Kopii and Ruto found themselves back at the Gerudo gate that guarded the entrance into the desert.

"Let's go home," Ruto said, "I could really use a bath." She glanced critically at Kopii's sweat-soaked tunic. "We both do."

Despite himself, Kopii managed a sly smirk. "Co-ed?"

Instantly herself again, Ruto sashayed up to him. "Sure thing, sailor."

Kopii blushed, surprised to find the tables turned. "I, uh, I was just…"

"Oh relax!" Ruto chuckled playfully, "I was just kidding!"

"Uh, I knew that!"

Ruto rolled her eyes. "Of course you did."

Heheh! Ruto thought to herself. Deep down Kopii, you're just a shy little pussy-cat! And that's just how I like 'em!


	7. The Decision

Upon returning to the Gerudo Valley, the first thing they did was rent a room at an inn. Ruto had gone to arrange a bath, leaving Kopii alone in the room they had rented. He sat down heavily on one of the cots, and fished Shadow-Joy's mask out of the bag he'd been carrying it in. Now that it was no longer in a pitch-black environment, it did not seem quite so ominous as it had when Kopii had first laid eyes on it.

It didn't look like the kind of mask one would normally wear. There were no holes for the eyes, nostrils or mouth, and it the contours were smoother than one would expect of a mask made to be worn on the face. The design was utterly simple; Solid black, except for solid yellow slashes that represented two manic eyes and a grinning smile. In the light that filtered through the opaque, animal-skin windows, they eyes did not seem to glow as they had in the impenetrable shadows of the temple.

"Kopii?"

Kopii jerked his head up to find Ruto standing over him.

"I came to tell you that they've almost finished drawing the bath," Ruto said, and sat down beside him.

"So this is the mask we came all this way to find." It was a statement, not a question, and the tone in which Ruto said it made Kopii shift uneasily.

"With it I'll be able to fight the Fierce Deity," Kopii said, and began to put it back in its sack.

"Well, if you say so," Ruto sniffed haughtily. "Personally, I don't see why it has to be you running off to fight this Fierce Deity."

Kopii sighed. "The Fierce Deity cannot be allowed to go unchallenged-" he began, but Ruto cut him off.

"But why do **you** have to be the one to stop it? Where is it written that you have to be the one who fights the Fierce Deity?"

"Excuse me?" Ruto and Kopii turned to see who had spoken. A young gerudo girl was at the door, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Your bath is ready now, I was sent to get you," she explained, feeling abashed at having interrupted the two in the middle of an argument.

Ruto gave Kopii a parting Look, and stalked off in the direction the young gerudo had indicated. Kopii sighed deeply after they left, and looked miserably at the sack where he had stashed the mask. Where **was** it written? It seemed that there was no escape from the coming battle. He had been **made** to fight Link, and now even after the death of Ganondorf, fate conspired to pit him against his pale-skinned nemesis in a battle from which neither could walk away from again.

He flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Why **did** it have to be him? Why had the mask singled him out? It was too poetic to be mere coincidence. Link, and Dark-Link. The Fierce Deity, and Shadow-Joy. Two identical opposites. Or was there more to it than that? Kopii had never really thought about where he had come from, what he had been before he saw that boy and green suddenly found himself capable of awareness. Were they connected somehow, his self and Shadow-Joy? He wasn't at all sure, now that he had worn the mask, whether he was comfortable with the thought that they might be alike. There was something about Shadow-Joy, something unsettling that made Kopii wonder about it's true intentions. Sure, it wanted to defeat Oni-Link, but what then? What was to stop it from controlling Kopii the way the Fierce Deity was even now controlling Link? It was with these thoughts in his mind that the heat and exhaustion caused Kopii to doze off into a fitful slumber.

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The water was tepid by the time Ruto reached the bath, but she didn't mind. The water she usually swam in was much colder anyway, and she sank gratefully into the large wooden tub. She tried to relax, but her mind was in too much turmoil to let her be even for a moment.

It was happening all over again. Just like her first love Link, Kopii was being taken away from her by the call of destiny. Why were the Goddesses doing this to her? They had already taken away Link, her people, and now they sought to steal Kopii from her as well? It was too much.

Ruto slipped her head beneath the water, and drew it deeply into her gills as she brooded.

She had thought her heart would break when she'd discovered that she couldn't have Link. She hadn't thought she could ever feel for anybody the way she had for him. Then one day she had found Kopii washed up on the shores of Lake Hylia, and it seemed like she was being given another chance. She hadn't said anything to Kopii, but she had genuinely come to care about him in the time that she had known him. Not just because he reminded her of Link, though that was why she had originally taken him in. No, there was more to it than that. Link had never really been there. He had always had somewhere more important to be, something he needed to do that was more important than other people. Kopii was different. From the time she had brought him in, he had always had time to listen when she felt like talking, and never complained or even seemed to mind when she interrupted him while he was doing something else. He was so sweet, and patient, and for a while Ruto had thought that she might finally have found somebody she could settle down with. Now all of a sudden destiny had reared it's ugly head, and it seemed that events were conspiring to take Kopii away from her.

"Not this time!" she said standing up. "This time I fight too! If destiny won't let him stay with me, then I'll go with him, and destiny be damned!" She jumped out of the tub, not bothering to towel off the way a Hylian woman would, and marched out dripping toward the room she had rented. She found Kopii lying asleep on the bed and without thinking about what she was doing, she jumped on top of him, grabbed him by the shoulders, and kissed him fiercely on the mouth. Kopii woke up and in his confusion tried to say something, but Ruto interrupted him by sliding her tongue between his parted lips. Kopii was too shocked to react at first, but then began to kiss her back. After what seemed like an eternity Ruto broke the kiss, and drew herself up haughtily before saying, "I'm staying with you, no matter what you do or where you go, and nothing anybody can do will stop me!"

Kopii was too confused to say anything other than "Okay," before Ruto kissed him again, and all other thoughts left both their minds.


	8. The Dream

"_You are Dark Link."_

Kopii looked around him. He was alone, surrounded by darkness.

"Who said that?"

"_I did."_

Three crescents of vibrant yellow burst into view against the backdrop of the darkness, two small ones with a larger one below, arranged like a grinning face. Shadow-Joy.

"_You have done well thus far, Shadow of the Hero. You have found my mask, and I am pleased by this. However, there is more you must do before you challenge the Fierce Deity."_

"I'm listening," Kopii said quietly.

"_The Fierce Deity wields a mighty weapon, called the Helix Blade."_

A flash of light flickered in Kopii's periphery vision, and he turned to find himself looking at a ghostly vision of the Fierce Deity. It held in its hands a sword made of two twining blades that connected at the tip. The effigy swung the sword, and a disc of blue light shot from the sword, then both the effigy and the disc faded from view.

"_You too have such a weapon, the dark counterpart of the Helix Blade."_

A weapon appeared in front of Kopii. It was a strange sword, to say the least. It was pitch black in color, surrounded by a flickering aura of sickly orange light. The light did not so much illuminate the sword as emphasize its lack of color. The blade itself curved strangely, arcing away from the wielder at the hilt before the curve reversed direction halfway up the blade. It's edges looked wickedly jagged, as if it were designed more to inflict pain than to slice cleanly in the flow of combat. Uneasily, Kopii reached for the sword, but his fingers passed through it as though it were made of smoke.

"_You cannot wield the Ragna Blade as you are now. To unlock its power requires the wielder to be skilled in the ways of sorcery. You know the power of which I speak?"_

Kopii nodded hesitantly. "I think so. In the Temple of Water, Link used holy fire to ravage my body when he realized I was his better at swordplay."

"_You understand, yet you do not understand. Link used the magic of the Goddesses in that battle. That is the magic of light, and I cannot use it, nor can the sword. Sorcery is the magic of the dark. It is the same power that Ganondorf used to create you."_

Kopii's ears perked up, his attention caught. This was the first clue he'd ever received as to the truth of his origin. Eagerly, he spoke, "You know how I was made? Where I come from and what I am?"

"_Yes, Shadow of the Hero, I know all about your origins. Perhaps someday I will tell you what I know, but first you must service my needs. Learn the ways of sorcery, and unlock your true potential. Then you must face, and defeat the Fierce Deity. Do as I command, and I will answer all your questions."_

Kopii nodded. "Then I will do as you command. Where can I learn of sorcery?"

"_Go you then to the graveyard at Kakariko. One of the gravestones bears the name Amon. Strike the gravestone with your sword, and a Poe will appear. Do not be afraid, for he was one of my worshippers in life, a sorcerer of the Sheikah. He will instruct you in the ways of sorcery. Once you have learned the dark arts, I will teach you to wield the Ragna Blade, and when you are ready, together we shall strike down the Fierce Deity."_

"It shall be as you command, Shadow-Joy!" Kopii kneeled before the face, even as it's features began to dissolve into the darkness.

--

Kopii awoke in the Inn. Beside him on the bed, Ruto was still asleep. Kopii remembered now, that not long after kissing and making up they had fallen asleep in the same bed. Their bodies were entwined, and Kopii became suddenly and intensely aware that there was only a thin layer of his own clothing between himself and Ruto's naked form. He began to blush hotly, and as Ruto's mouth parted ever so slightly in her sleep, Kopii began to realize with horror that he was growing hard. Quickly, he jumped out of bed, and faced away from Ruto in case she woke up and saw the tent in his leggings. Moving quietly so as not to wake Ruto, he went in search of the baths.

--

Ruto awoke to find Kopii gone. The first thought that occurred to her was that he had left while she slept, intending to leave her behind. But no, there was his scimitar at the foot of the bed, he wouldn't have left that behind, would he? Getting up, she padded down the halls of the Inn, moving quietly so as not to disturb the other guests. As she passed by the men's baths, she heard sloshing water, and went to investigate. Sure enough, there was Kopii, facing away from the door and sitting in a small wooden tub. Grinning to herself, she snuck up behind him, then threw herself at him, snaking her arms under his broad shoulders and wrapping around his chest.

"Aaagh! What the- Ruto!? What are you doing!" Kopii shrieked, blushing prodigiously and vainly trying to cover himself.

"Well good morning to you too. Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Ruto, you're not supposed to be in here!"

"Why not?" Ruto asked, seeming to be sincerely puzzled.

"Because… I'm naked…" Kopii blushed even more fiercely, his voice sounding subdued.

"So what? I'm naked, I don't see what the big deal is-" Ruto stopped in mid-sentence, as she noticed Kopii's hands were cupped around his groin.

"What are you hiding? Lemme see!"

"Ruto, no! Stop that, it's private! No wait, stop! Aha, please, stop tickling me! Ahahaha!" Ruto grinned wolfishly as she tickled Kopii's armpits mercilessly, until he was forced to move his hands to stop her.

"Wow, I didn't know Hylians had hair down there."

"Ruto!" Kopii said indignantly, embarrassment burning in his pointy ears, "Please, just let me finish bathing in private?"

"Aw fine, ya big baby!" Ruto leaned back with a smirk on her face. "Honestly, you Hylians are such prudes."

Kopii was trying very hard to vanish into thin air, but it wasn't working.

"Ruto?"

"Yes Kopii?"

"Outside, please?"

"Hmph! Fine, I'll go wait in the room then."

"Thank you Ruto."

Ruto flounced out of the baths with her nose in the air. As soon as she got to her room though, she burst into fits of laughter. "That was t-t-too f-funny!" Clutching her sides as she struggled to keep breathing, Ruto leaned back in Kopii's bed. His scent was still on the sheets, and Ruto snuggled against them. "It's just a matter of time. Kopii, your virginity will be mine!"


	9. Kakariko Night

After he finished bathing and was fully dressed, Kopii found Ruto sitting in the common room eating breakfast. The rest of the patrons were eating a local kind of sweet roll they called "cheoreg", but Ruto had somehow persuaded the cook to prepare some kind of omelet for her. No doubt her being royalty had something to do with that. Kopii loaded up a plate of rolls and sat down with Ruto.

"According to Shadow-Joy, our next stop is Kakariko Village." Kopii paused as a waitress brought him some Gerudo coffee. It was black as ink, thick as mud, and radiated heat like an enraged Dodongo. Kopii took a sip anyway, burning himself in the process. Ruto suppressed a giggle and pushed a glass of ice water his way, which he took gratefully.

"Salmon omelet and iced water in the desert? The Gerudo must have a great deal of respect for royalty."

"Actually," Ruto corrected him, "They only consider Gerudo royalty to be legitimate, but they have a great deal of respect indeed for patrons who pay with silver rupees."

Kopii was stunned by the sudden realization that the ice water he was drinking might well have cost as much as a small goat. Seeing the look on his face, Ruto waved her hand dismissively.

"It's just money, practically useless to people as self-sufficient as the Zora. Don't worry about it!"

Kopii nodded uncertainly, but resolved get Ruto a gift to show his appreciation for all her support in the near future.

"Anyway," Ruto continued, "Why Kakariko Village? Not that I'm complaining mind you. It'll be good to get out of the hot and dry."

"I need to learn sorcery in order to wield Shadow-Joy's sword. There is a Poe in Kakariko's graveyard that will teach me."

Kopii ate one of his rolls as Ruto considered. They were actually quite good.

When Ruto spoke, she said, "There should be a trade caravan heading to Kakariko in a few days. I'll see if they have room for two more. It'll be faster and cheaper than going alone, and we won't have to carry all our own food. Let me finish my omelet and I'll go right away."

"I'll catch up with you," Kopii said. "Should I bring our things?"

"No, the caravan won't be leaving for three days, but you could tell the innkeeper that we'll be staying for two more nights. Don't worry about money, she's keeping a tab for me." Ruto finished off the last few bites of her omelet and kissed Kopii's cheek before rushing off to find the caravan leader while there was still room for a couple strangers.

--

A few days later they were on their way. Since the wagons were not designed to be ridden in, she had rented a couple of docile mules from one of the merchants for Kopii and herself. Ruto had no trouble with her mount, but Kopii, it seemed, had not inherited his counterpart's affinity for animals. Kopii made the animals uneasy, and his own mount fought with him each time until Kopii was firmly in it's saddle, at which point the mule became curiously subdued. There was talk among the caravaners that Kopii was some kind of spirit to make the animals fret so, and more than a few made signs to ward off evil. Ruto could tell it upset Kopii, but there was nothing to be done until they reached Kakariko. They finally did, in a week's time, and it was no small relief to the both of them. They wasted no time putting some distance between the merchants and themselves. Much work with explosives had been done to make Kakariko larger in the past few years, carving it's way into what had once been solid rock. Ruto and Kopii rented a room for the night at an inn called the Jolly Tektite, and made plans to visit the graveyard on the next night. For now they needed rest, after so much time on the road. They ate in their rooms, black bread and cheese for Kopii, and filleted mountain whitefish for Ruto. They both ate in silence. Finally, Ruto took it upon herself to make conversation.

"Kopii, are you alright?"

Kopii stopped eating, and sighed deeply. "I'll be fine Ruto. I'm just tired."

"That's not it," Ruto said. "I know you're upset about the animals, and what those horrible caravaners said about you."

Kopii sighed again. It was true, the comments of the traders and nervousness of the animals had left him feeling depressed. What if they were right? What if he was little more than an evil spirit? It would be easy enough for a warlock like Ganondorf to conjure an evil spirit, much easier than creating a living being.

"Kopii?"

Kopii was drawn from his musings by Ruto's touch. She'd stood up while he was distracted and put her hand on his arm. Her touch might have felt cold and clammy to a Hylian, but Ruto was the only person to have ever touched him in his short life, and he found her skin to be cool and soothing. He leaned against her, and in turn, Ruto wrapped her arms around him, holding him as a mother might hold a sad child. They stayed like that for a while, until Kopii finally looked up at Ruto's caring face and said simply, "Thank you."

Ruto smiled and nodded, her earrings sparkling in the dim candlelight. Kopii felt a blush creep into his cheeks as he gazed at Ruto's heartwarming smile. He leaned in, bringing his face level with Ruto's. Ruto noticed a change in Kopii, a kind of hunger in his eyes that left her suddenly short of breath. Her cheeks blushed purple as Kopii's hot breath tickled her lips, which he parted with his tongue as he kissed her with a deep, slow, and intense passion. Ruto's heart fluttered wildly as Kopii took the initiative for the first time. This was different from the frenzied face-sucking from the other night. This was romantic, intimate, special. Ruto could feel Kopii's body burning hot, filling her with warmth hotter than the sunniest spawning waters. When they finally broke for air, they both had only one thing on their mind. They moved to the bed, Kopii disrobing as he went and Ruto removing her earrings. Sliding under the covers, they forgot themselves, as they came to know each other in that way which only lovers can.

--

Author's Note: I think I'll have to change the rating to mature after this. I also think I'm going to have to write a more explicit version to be posted separately.


End file.
